It's been a while

I missed June! How did that happen?
Well, we were in lockdown and then we weren't and now we are again. All very disruptive and confusing.
I have continued on with the Blackwork class. Have I mentioned how slow doing blackwork is?? And how still you sit?
I have found out and now will have to schedule some exercise and stretching times into the day, try not to sit too still for too long. It is a bit like the reminders you need to get off the computer. Only I don't have that really annoying program that you can put on that turns off the screen every 15 minutes. That didn't last long on my computer, I can assure you. 15 minutes passes in a flash.

Anyway, I have got as far as lesson 4. We are working on shading, varying the darkness from dark to light.
First, we were asked to do a sample that used varying thicknesses of thread and to do the variation across curved lines.
Then we were asked to do one that used one thread only and the variation was through the density of the pattern.

I designed my pattern on graph paper and then tried to make it have less density as it grew. But I think I chose a pattern that was too large, so I had to finish it a bit before I would have if I weren't doing a particular task with set measurements (i.e. it had to be over a set number of threads across and down).

I drew it rather lightly so I could rub it out, it is surprisingly hard to draw accurately across each square. 

Also, as I sewed, I could see that I needed to put some extra elements in and doing that made the design denser but needed more room to lighten it up.

And another thing, both examples have mistakes!! I couldn't work out how to unpick them easily so decided to just note them down and try not to do that sort of error again. I'm sure I'll find a different way to make errors.

All learning - which is why you do samplers.